Before the Chase
by mollrach13
Summary: Spoilers for 5x08 and 5x09. Missing scene/tag: Merlin tells Arthur of his suspicions and where he really was the passed few days


Arthur blinked away from the tax reports adorning his desk, groaning when the change in light stung at his eyes. His Queen still sat by the fire, her embroidery ring in hand.

"It sounds like you are done for the day," Guinevere chuckled, casting an amused look from under her eyelashes. Arthur smiled in return, groaning further on his assent from his desk.

"Are you coming to bed?"

"In a little while," the Queen replied, setting her needlework aside. "I promised the steward I would speak to him this evening."

"At this hour?"

Guinevere sighed, her back to Arthur. "Or perhaps I am doing something for you and it is a surprise." She turned then, giving Arthur a mischievous smile. "So stop being so nosey."

"Alright," Arthur chuckled turning to his bed. "I'll allow you your secrets. Come to bed soon."

The Queen bade him a smile and gathered her cloak by the door. "Good Night Arthur."

Arthur smiled at the closed wooden door before towards his changing screen, stretching out the ache in his neck.

"Arthur."

Arthur would never admit to the noise that he made as a shadowed form stepped into the light cast by the flickering fire.

"God's," Arthur sighed, letting his shoulders slump in relief as the shadowed figure came closer into the light. "Merlin!"

"Sorry Sire," his servant shrugged unapologetically, his face still in shadows.

"Have you been in here all this time?"

"I needed to wait until the Queen had left."

"I'm going to ignore how creepy that is and just order you out now…" Arthur murmured going towards the door to kick his odd manservant out. "And what is going on between you two? Is it because she told me about your secret girl?"

"Is it a little about that, yes sire," Merlin responded not taking Arthur's hint to get the hell out of his rooms.

"Are you that afraid that I would mock you?" Arthur sneered opening the door to his chambers in invitation. But Merlin just shifted in his place.

"No Arthur. I was telling you the truth – there is no girl."

"Well then why did Guinevere tell me there was? There is no need to be embarrassed Merlin… is she unsightly."

"Arthur," Merlin sighed rolling his eyes. "I am telling you there is no girl. Gwen lied to you."

Arthur's gaze on his servant turned flinty and settled on Merlin with a hard stare. "That is my wife and your Queen you are talking about."

"And my friend," Merlin replied with a hard expression of his own. "Arthur, you must listen to me."

Merlin looked up then at Arthur, really looked at him and it struck Arthur that this was the first time the man had looked directly at him in too long. His servants face was drawn, and harsh and troubled, no trace of humour in the humble man's face. Arthur frowned but let go of the door, letting it fall back into place. That seemed to be the right thing to do as Merlin's shoulder's relaxed slightly and he hobbled further into the light of the room.

"I wasn't with a girl," Merlin explained lowly. "A few nights ago I was approached, whilst I prepared the Queens bath, by a boy. He claimed his sister was sick and needed my assistance."

Arthur felt his brow furrow further as he stepped forward as well. "And… so you were out playing physician?"

"No," Merlin sighed, coming to lean on the edge of the table, Arthur distantly noticed, to take the weight off his leg. "It was a trap. He lured me to me a clearing where Morgana was."

Arthur eyes immediately widened, his hand going to the grip of his sword and he started letting his eyes sweep over Merlin more fervently for injuries or harms he was hiding. There was his leg, obviously, but apart from that Merlin looked… tired, so tired, his skin taking on the grey hue of the nearly dead and his lips paler. Bags hung below his eyes which were heavy with pain and weariness much too deep for the servant of a King to feel.

"What did she do?" Arthur growled into the room.

"Poison," Merlin sighed, a resigned tone to his speech. "A very deadly poison. She left me for dead on the forest floor."

"Merlin-" Arthur stated needlessly.

"I'm fine Arthur," Merlin waved away with a tired hand. "I knew an antidote and the boy, his name was Daegal by the way, he helped make it."

"Merlin, I don't understand what this has to do with Guinevere."

"When I was recovering I spoke with the boy," Merlin spoke slowly, his large blue eyes boring heavily into Arthur's. "He told me that he was offered money to get me out of the way and lure me to the forest. He wasn't told what would happen but he was able to tell me that he met with two women who tasked this to him. One was Morgana, the other was Gwen."

"He was obviously a traitor!" Arthur exclaimed furiously. "He led you to your death. Guinevere is my wife. She would never betray me!"

"No, I agree," Merlin nodded. "The Gwen we know and love would never to anything to harm either of us."

"Then what are you saying?"

"That, that isn't the Gwen we know."

"No," Arthur denied shaking his head. He turned his back on his servant walking restlessly over to the fire. "I will not have you speak of your Queen this way. Leave me Merlin."

"With all due respect sire, no."

"No?" Arthur asked incredulously. He turned back to see his servant still stood stubbornly in the centre of the Kings chambers, his shoulder set wide.

"Where do imagine she is going at this time of night?"

"She is going to visit the steward."

Merlin's gaze looked out towards the moonlit night sky passed the windows of the chamber and then back to Arthur, his eyes almost pitying. "Why would she need her cloak to see the steward?"

Arthur opened his mouth to respond… and then closed it, doubt swilling in his mind.

Merlin sighed and stepped away from the table carefully. "If you think her innocent there is no harm in us following her. Even if I am wrong it is not wise for the queen to be wandering the streets along at night."

Merlin grabbed Arthur's cloak from the changing screen and held it out to his king. Arthur stared at it for a few undecided moments before he took it, throwing the clasp around his neck.

"I hope to the Gods you are right about this Merlin," Arthur growled, "or it will be your head."

"I wish to the Gods I wasn't," Merlin sighed as they both followed into the night, shutting the chamber doors closed in his wake.


End file.
